Panchayat Act: Change sought

PATIALA: Section 40 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act empowers the village-level local government bodies to close liquor shops in areas falling under their jurisdiction by passing resolutions. However, the same Act debars panchayats from doing so in cases where liquor was seized in villages anytime during the past two years.

Peeved by this anomaly, NGOs working for de-addiction have called all panchayats to Sangrur on February 27, to chart out their future course of action and build pressure on the Punjab government to amend the Act. The NGOs have also decided to approach chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on the issue.

According to information, around 72 panchayats from Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and Mohali districts of Punjab have passed resolutions to close down liquor shops. However, instead of getting any cooperation from the state government in making areas under their jurisdiction free of liquor, these panchayats have been facing resistance from the Punjab excise department. "The excise authorities say they cannot accept the anti-liquor resolutions of villages from where police have seized liquor during last two years. In a majority of villages, police have registered false cases in order to prevent the resolution from being accepted by the excise department. We have called all panchayats to Sangrur on February 27," said Dr A S Mann, who is associated with Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum (SASWF).

Other than SASWF, two other NGOs — People for Transparency and Red Cross De-addiction Centre, Sangrur — have been running a special campaign to convince the panchayats on the need to close down liquor shops in their respective areas via resolutions. During the course of this drive, they came across many panchayats which alleged false cases against them.

"The accused in a liquor case registered in our village belongs to Alipur village. The police seized liquor from him when he was crossing from near our village. If anyone is caught with liquor near our village, then how can it be our fault," an indignant Sukhdev Singh, sarpanch of Katron village, pointed out.

Senior officials of the excise department told TOI that they were bound to follow the Act, and without that amendments in Act, they could not pass all resolutions of villages where liquor cases were lodged during the last two years. "We hope chief minister Parkash Singh Badal would help us. We would take final decision on February 27, after a meeting with all panchayats," said Dr Mann.